Device for preventing the refilling of bottles and the like



L. AMARU May 14, 1940.

' DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE REFILLING OF BOTTLES AND THE LIKE 'F'iled Dec. 2. 1937 m AZmr/zey.

Patented May 14, 1940 DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE REFILLING OF BOTTLES AND THE LIKE Liborio Amaru, Medford, Mass, assignor of onehalfto Fortunata Amaru, Medford, Mass.

Application December 2, 1937, Serial No. 177,691

2 Claims. (Cl. 215-) This invention relates to improvements in devices for preventing the refilling of bottles and the like. i

More especially it provides a device to stand in the neck of a bottle or other container and to permit the outflow of liquid, but to prevent inflow of liquid into the space thus emptied.

Numerous efiorts heretofore have sought to attain this end, but, so far as I amaware, none has succeeded to an extent suflicient to satisfy the. needs of those who sell liquids of high quality, and who wish to have their labeled containers protected against re-use by others. Among the defects in devices previously proposed are that some have permitted refilling under particular conditions; others have lacked a practicable rapidity of outflow when pouring; others have been impracticably complicated or expensive; and some proposals have been impossible of construction.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a practicable device which will automatically open for adequately rapid outflow of liquid in the usual way when contents are to be poured from the bottle; but which will automatically close the passage at the bottle neck against flow of liquid into the bottle, by gravity or otherwise.

Other objects are to provide for the associating of such a fiow control with a glass bottle of ordinary type; to make the setting of the device permanent in the bottle; and to provide against all tampering with the flow-control mechanism by a tool or instrument manipulated from without. It is, moreover, an important feature that the device of the invention may be made inexpensively, of few parts, and of low-cost materials.

The present improvement attains these objects and results by installing in the neck of a bottle a loosely-confined valve made of material having specific gravity about the same as the specific gravity of the liquid whose flow is to be controlled, the difierence, if any, being preferably that the valveis non-buoyant. The face of the valve which is inward of the bottle is preferably recessed, makingthe valve be like a cup, whose rim, preferably circular, lies all in one plane, so that that rim can close against a plane annular seat, as a valve. This is done, by gravity when the bottle is upright or by .current and Wash of incipient attempted inflow, if and when the bottleis invertedand a tube is connected to supply a liquid under hydrostatic head.

Asecond valve, if desired, may guard the cupvalve to provide further against refilling, and may cooperate with it by directing incipient inflow so that its force tends to movethe cup valve to closed position, where it willbe held by gravity or by hydrostatic pressure, or by both. However, the first mentioned valve alone has been found sufficient and adequate to bar inflow under all 5 test conditions which I have devised. For this the device of my United States Letters Patent No. 2,031,446 may be used; butherein I show an improvement thereon for cooperating with the first mentioned cup-valve hereof with more rapid flow l and with greater force and security. Other features of novelty will be found in the details of thestructure herein described.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, what- .19

ever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is an elevation, in medial vertical section, of the neck portion of a bottle equipped with a flow-control device embodying features of the invention; l

Figure 2 is a top plan of the device of Figure 1 with the nozzle piece removed;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the skirted plate valve;

Figure ,4 is a perspective of the cup-shaped valve;

Figure ,5 is a view similar to Figure l, but showing both valves in elevation in their unseated positions;

Figure 6 is an elevation, in medial vertical section, of .the neck portion of a bottle equipped with a modified form of flow-control device, having but one valve; t

Figure '7 is an elevation, in medial vertical section, of a fragment of flow-control device having a modified formof valve; and

Figure 8 is a view, similar to Figure 7, showing another modified form of valve. 510

Referring to the drawing, the bottle II] is representative of containers in general which may have a mouth opening I2 within which the flowcontrol device of the invention may be perma nently secured.

As represented, the body l4 comprises a cylindrical shell which may be made ,of suitably light metal, porcelain, glass, molded condensation product, or other material which may be found suitable. The inner end of shell l4 may have the tapering plug portion l5 formed integral therewith at one end, for fitting within the mouth opening 12 of the bottle. After a bottle has initially been filled the plug is to be permanently secured in the mouth in any convenient and repermanent locking device may be provided.

Interiorly the shell M has a frusto-conical ring mound 26 integral with the side wall of the shell, having the same axis therewith; and extending toward the nozzle end but set an appreciable distance inward therefrom. Considering the position of bottle when upright, the top edge of this mound 26 constitutes a seat for a loosely confined plate valve 36. I annularly from the wall of shell 14, being one side of an annular groove 28 between itself and the outer wall of the shell. The mound frustum 26 has axially a passage 30 extending through it which, in the form illustrated is conical with its larger diameter at the top edge of the mound frustum, and which passage gradually diminishes in diameter in direction inward of the bottle. The lower part of this passage is represented cylind cal, at 32, although the shape here is largely immaterial. Being axial and of relatively small diameter this hole constitutes a passage whose walls, in case of inflow, discharge the flow in the axial region, where it will strike on the axial part of the top end of the inverted cup-valve 52 described below, which is loosely confined within an axial chamber 34 which is at the bottom end of the passage through the shell or tapering plug portion I 6 into the bottle.

The top edge of mound frustum 26 constitutes an annular valve seat for the loose plate valve 36 which fits with small clearance within shell M, and which has its periphery provided with a series of grooves, so short that they look like notches, 38 for increasing the space for flow past the edge of the plate. Also the interior face of the shell wall may be grooved as at 46 for further increasing the flow space past the plate.

Plate valve 36 is loose and adapted to move within shell l4 toward and from its seat on frustum 26; and it has an integral annular depending skirt 42v which fits loosely around moundfrusturn 26, within the annular groove 28.

In the drawing, plate valve 36 has a top wall 44 centrally of its face which is outward, toward the nozzle 22, but this well may be omitted without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Projecting downward from the plane of the top part of the plate valve is an axial body 46 which is illustrated as being of rather large diameter thus adding weight to' the plate valve, and constituting a conical stem depending within the passage 36, 32 and terminating in the grooved element -36, which also adds weight to the plate valve 36, and may be a topstop for the cup valve 52. These may be omitted if the plate and its skirt are made sufiicientlyheavy.

Referring now to the plug portion of the shell 16, which sticks into the neck of the bottle l6, its said chamber 34 is a continuation of the flow passage 36, 32 through the inner and lower end wall [9 of the hollow of the plug portion [6, at the hole 5ll,'into the interior of the bottle. Preferably this shell portion will be made in two parts of which the part l6 may frictionally or otherwise engage the part I6 so that their joinder will be se- The body of mound 26 is spaced 1 cure against their coming part in use. They may, if desired, be mechanically secured together.

Within chamber 34 is a valve 52 which as herein illustrated is in the shape of an inverted cup, arranged with the hollow of the cup facing the interior of the bottle. The annular lip of the cup lies all in one plane so that it is adapted, by gravity, to rest on the end wall I9 of the shell or hollow plug, and so'to surround and annularly to close the hole 50, when the bottle is in upright position. Ribs 54, on the cup valve, space the body of the cup from the walls of the shell I6, so

that, when the valve is unseated, as when the bottle is upside down, liquid can flow from the interior of the bottle past this valve. The upper end of valve 52 may have a form tapering upward toward the axis, with grooves 56 for passage of liqui'd between the outer sides of the cup, and the wall of chamber 34 when the valve is unseated, as in Figure 5.

Assuming the bottle of Figures 1 and 5 to be filled with liquid, for example, an expensive beverage, the contents may be poured from the bottle by holding it mouth down, as in Figure 5. In this position, both the plate valve 36 and the cup valve 52 are unseated by gravity and also by the weight and force of the out-flowing liquid. The liquid passes through hole 50, around cup valve 52, through grooves 56, passage 36, 32, around skirt &2 of valve 36, and through the grooves I 46 and notches 38 by which it passes plate valve 36; and then on out through screen 24 and nozzle 22.

Attempts to flow liquid into the bottle, when it is in the upright position of Figure 1, will be frustrated by the valves 36, 52 which will be seated by gravity, and which, being of greater gravity than the liquid, will remain seated against inflow of liquid. In this upright position the liquid cannot pass the valve 36, and thus does not reach valve 52. But, if by any means this plate valve, 36, were to be reached and lifted by manipulation from outside, the valve 52 would be unreachable and would prevent inflow. If the bottle be inverted, both valves fall by gravity from their seats; and if inflow be then attempted the flow of liquid will act to close one or both valves. Assuming that the bottle is held as in Figure 5. and that liquid under head or other pressure is directed into the device, the pressure of liquid striking plate valve 36 promptly will drive this valve to its seat, stopping the flow at this point,- particularly so if this valve be made of slightly buoyant material, instead of non-buoyant mate rial. material and the bottle is standing upright; buoyancy in the introduced liquid would not open the plate valve 36 because of the weight of liquid held in the well 44 and the depending weight of the central column elements 46, $6. In either case, upright for resisting inflow, or inverted for permitting outflow, the space immediately under the plate valve 36 will be filled with air and the valve will fall, thus when upright closing the passage, and, when inverted, opening it. If the plate and parts connected to it as a unit are nonbuoyant and sufficiently heavy, and if the bottle be inverted, and an attempt be made to flow liquid in by mild gravity feed, the plate valve 36 might remain unseated, so that the liquid would pass this valve. But the lighter valve 52, whose specific gravity is close to that of the liquid promptly moves with the beginning of flow of liquid and seats itself against inflow. In fact this valve 52, even in the absence of valve 36, would If the plate valve be of slightly buoyant gravity close to that of the liquid, and assuming that the plate valve leaks or is absent, the cup valve 52, if made in the modified shape of 52' or 52 shown in Figure 7 or 8, with a well on its top face for containing liquid, would remain seated, notwithstanding its buoyancy, because the downward pressure of liquid contained in its top Well would overbalance the upward pressure of air under it and so would repel an attempt to re-fill the bottle. When the bottle is inverted the slight buoyancy of this valve would not prevent outflow, because the valve would yield to the outward current and the unbalance of outward liquid pressure. But if refilling be attempt ed when the bottle is inverted the slight buoyancy of this valve, alone, or aided by the force of inflow would close the inward passage and would be held by the hydrostatic head applied for inflow, if any liquid should get so far as this valve.

The surfaces, the flow passage and chambers, direct and concentrate whatever inflow there is toward and on the top end of the valve 52, which tends to close it. Outflow from the body of the bottle, when inverted, plunges into the bottom of the valve 52 and drives it open, thence overflowing and passing out.

A material which I have found satisfactory for the valve 52 being one which is out little heavier than water, is hard rubber.

Not only does-the device prevent the inflow of a liquid directly as indicated, but it also restricts inflow indirectly by preventing that outflow of air without which the liquid cannot flow in.

mouth of a container, and having interiorly at the inward end of the plug a valve seat surrounding an opening there for outflow from the container through the hollow of the plug; and a valve loose in the hollow of the plug body arranged to seat in axial direction for closing said opening against inward flowcf liquid; said loose valve being of material whose specific gravity is so nearly the same as the specific gravity of the liquid which is to be controlled that said valve responds to a slight differential of forces applied by liquid to opposite sides of the valve; a second valve in the hollow of the plug, arranged as a barrier to straight line access to the first mentioned valve; said first mentioned valve having a recess in its face which is toward the second ing liquid from its seat to the recess of the first mentioned valve.

2. A liquid-flow control device comprising a hollow plug body adapted to be secured in the mouth of a container, and having interiorly at the inwardend of the plug a valve seat surrounding an opening there for out-flow from the container through the hollow of the plug; and a valve loose in the hollow of the plug body arranged to seat in axial direction for closing said opening against inward flow of liquid; said loose valve being of material whose specific gravity is so nearly the same as the specific gravity of the liquid which is to be controlled that said valve responds to a slight diiferential of forces applied H by liquid to opposite sides of the valve; a second valve in the hollow of theplug, arranged to seat in direction to bar inflow, and being a barrier to straight line access to the first mentioned valve; said second valve being a plate having an integral element extending axially inward of the container to a position adjacent tn the location of the first mentioned valve when that is unseated, and being in shape adapted there to direct infiowing liquid which has passed the second valve against the outer face of the first mentioned valve, thereby promoting the moving of the first mentioned valve to its seat.

LIBORIO AMARU. 

